About 11 years ago, while reviewing current research in superfoods, I happily stumbled on goji berries. Their purported value in being high in protein had me very curious. With meal times being quite extended during a fast, it was important that I identify herbal allies for long-lasting energy and hydration control as well as for all around nutritional support. Read on to learn what these magnificent red berries have to do with fasting, and how an herbal wellness approach can help during the long (sometimes short) days of fasting.

Now, there are countless ways to fast. Fundamentally, to fast is to stay away from food and/or drink for a substantive portion of the day. This is your basic fast, leaving aside any spiritual, healing, or even medical intent. Sometimes we unintentionally fast when we skip a meal. And of course, the first meal of the day is called breakfast because we are breaking the fast that occurred during our night of sleep. What is very interesting is the reality of fasting as a known benefit to human health from far back to ancient times. Hippocrates offers one of the earliest recorded uses of fasting as a therapeutic modality according to specific signs of health imbalance. Because of its potency, fasting should be undertaken only carefully and under supervision.

Ramadan: The Ultimate Intermittent Fast

Fasting in the Islamic tradition—its own time-honored practice of intermittent fasting—is prescribed with very strict guidelines. These guidelines caution the sick and the traveling against fasting. However, for those who can fast readily and easily, the benefits encompass the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of human nature. While Muslims can fast at any time of year, there is one special month devoted to the fast: Ramadan. During this sacred month of fasting, the fast occurs from dawn to dusk, and all food and drinks are prohibited. The broad goal of self-improvement is, at one level, approached through limiting our appetite for food and drink. But appetite restrictions extend further, to physical intimacy, to emotional vices like anger and cruelty, and to gratuitous, self-indulgent habits as well (time-wasting entertainment being top among them).

The self-discipline required to abstain from food, drink, vice, and indulgence requires a level of physical, mental, and spiritual discipline that will only carry us as far as the nourishment we provide ourselves. Understood in this way, the fast takes planning and preparation, much like getting ready for a big race. Fasting in Ramadan is a spiritual marathon.

Prepping for Physical Endurance

Long before runners take their marks and launch into a cross-country race, they have carefully considered their pre-race meal, their supplies, and their overall strategy. Runners know they will encounter highs and lows during their course. They know the meal they start with will fortify and sustain them through the duration of their race. And, they know their advance training will pay off on racing day.

As a former runner, this is the mindset that is valuable to me whenever I fast, and most particularly for Ramadan. I know protein is at the very top of the list of vital nutrients for managing physical endurance. But, unlike athletic races, there will be no avenues for hydrating during the fasting day. No quick sips (or gulps) of water. Instead, dispensation has to be made to ensure levels of hydration can be managed pre- and post-fast. This is why potassium runs a very, very close second on the list of vital nutrients; this mineral supports maintaining hydration and thirst (as well as heart rhythm and a host of other biological processes). Because fasting results in potent detoxing of the body, energy levels and strength can be depleted. Iron, calcium, and many other micronutrients need to be maintained as well.

Connecting Wisdom Across the Ages

The wisdom of herbalists and traditional natural healers proves very useful here, connecting time-honored healing practices with prophetic wisdom to advise on the food and drink for beginning and concluding the fasting day. The pre-fasting meal should generally be light yet thoroughly nourishing. The less heavy, rich foods we consume, the greater digestive ease the body experiences during a full day of detoxing.

Islamic teachings point to starting the fasting day with water and dates: water for hydration and light consumption, and dates for fiber, energy, and potassium.

Superfoods for Superior Endurance

Fresh fruits and vegetables can be prepared as nourishing foods and drinks that promote hydration, energy, fiber, and potassium levels. Recipes that involve minimal processing and that avoid frying are best to maximize the nutritional content of whole foods (fruits; vegetables; whole grains, beans, peas, and lentils; nuts; seeds), and to provide optimal support to the deep cleansing work of the body during this time. Consider the foods and meals you consume as part and parcel of the therapeutic treatment that fasting offers. This advice is in keeping with the guidelines of Tibb nutrition, where various foods are tailored holistically in accordance with individual temperament and cultural context.

Some fruits and vegetables that have been categorized as superfoods offer superior levels of nutrition. Within the superfood category is a handful of goji berries, which packs an incredible amount of protein per 100g serving (approximately 11 grams of protein). Another likely contender for the superfood category is a spoonful of chia seeds, which provide a major dose of fiber and potassium per serving. By including both of these foods at suhoor time (and again at iftar), your body gains a powerhouse of micronutrients needed to sustain you during your fast.

Download this favorite recipe for Chia Goji Refresher .

A few herbal allies that deserve mentioning are dandelion, chickweed, hibiscus, nettle, Irish moss, oat straw, horsetail, alfalfa, sassafras, and red clover. These herbs are traditionally used by herbalists to support the body during detox, to offer supplemental sources of micronutrients, and to assist with energy. Any of these can be made into a nourishing infusion that can be enjoyed at the start and conclusion of the fasting day. Together with dates, goji berries, and chia seeds, these are must-haves for a powerfully nourishing meal.

A Ramadan fast is a unique time for purification and self-improvement. The social and spiritual connection is a distinguishing feature of this kind of fast. After a day of mindfulness and appetite restriction, the fast conventionally concludes with a celebratory meal shared among the community. Gathering together to break the fast, people pass around dates and water as a welcome bookend to the fasting day that began similarly. After the fast is broken, a filling meal of delicious dishes awaits, prepared at home, by neighbors, or the community.

Traditional natural healing approaches are a powerfully effective way to support the body's nutrition and energy requirements while fasting. In this way, it is possible to fast, maintain energy, effectively manage hydration, and keep up the body's strength. In fact, the 6 keys of natural wellness: diet and elimination; activity and rest; and social and spiritual connection that form the pillars of a long-standing framework for natural health, are just as instructive for therapeutic practices like fasting.

To learn more about ways to jumpstart your healing and how to adopt this framework for your personal health journey, contact Rihla Wellness.